Whole Grain Banana Bread with Flax and Chia Seeds

Moist and nutty, with a fragrant banana flavor, this banana bread is a wonderful cake to have with tea. Made with a combination of whole wheat flour and all purpose flour it’s wholesome and delicious all in a cake.

The back story

It was my birthday back in July and I got to celebrate it in Spain this year,which meant that I didn’t get a chance to celebrate it with my dear friends Rose and Devi like we have been doing for almost a decade now. But a gal can celebrate her birthday more than once, can’t she? So my friends hosted a small tea for me after I returned as a belated b’day get together. It turned out to be a wonderful relaxing afternoon with good friends and good food.

On this afternoon we had a nice spread of tea time treats that included tea, idlis, coconut chutney, fresh fruit, and dessert provided by Rose. Rose had brought her signature apple gallete and scones and one more sweet treat – a whole grain banana bread. All this food for just the four of us! It was more like a lunch than an afternoon tea 😋.

About the recipe

Rose found this recipe on her favorite brand of flour’s web site. Whole grain banana bread on kingarthurflour.com. Rose added a few healthy additions such as flax seed and chia seeds which gave a nice texture. This recipe is easy to make with delicious results! It is no wonder that the recipe won the 2018 recipe of the year! Give it a try!

“This one-bowl banana bread — our 2018 Recipe of the Year — uses the simplest ingredients, but is incredibly moist and flavorful. While the recipe calls for a 50/50 mix of flours (all-purpose and whole wheat), we often make the bread 100% whole wheat, and honestly? No one can tell, it’s that good! And not only is this bread delicious — it’s versatile.” from King Arthur Flour

Whole Grain Banana Bread with Flax and Chia Seeds
from Whole grain banana bread on kingarthurflour.com
with a few modifications by Rose

Ingredients:

For batter:

2 cups thoroughly mashed banana; about 4 or 5 medium over ripe bananas
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 cup King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour or Premium Whole Wheat Flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted if desired; optional*
*Leave the nuts out, if desired; or substitute up to 1 cup chopped dried fruit, chocolate or butterscotch chips, sunflower or pumpkin seeds, or other mix-ins of your choice. Rose used a mix of flax seeds, chia seeds and cocoa nibs in her loaf.

For Topping:

1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup of a mix of flax seeds and chia seeds (Rose’s addition)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center position. Lightly grease a 9″ x 5″ loaf pan and line the bottom with parchment paper; if your pan is glass or stoneware, reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
In a large bowl stir together the mashed banana, oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla.
Mix the flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and chopped walnuts into the banana mixture. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and mix again to thoroughly combine the ingredients. Scoop the batter into the prepared pan.
Mix together the sugar, plus all the flax and chia seeds and cinnamon, and sprinkle over the batter.
Bake the bread for about 60 to 75 minutes, until the bread feels set on the top, and a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean. If the bread appears to be browning too quickly, tent it with aluminum foil for the final 15 to 20 minutes of baking. Note: If baking in a glass or stoneware pan, increase the baking time by 10 to 15 minutes.
Remove the bread from the oven. Cool it in the pan for 15 minutes, then loosen the edges, and turn it out of the pan onto a rack to cool completely.
Store leftover bread, tightly wrapped, at room temperature for several days. Freeze for longer storage.

If you are a fan of King Arthur Flour, give this other recipe a try that my friend Karen made a while back for Mother’s Day, an apple bread that is supremely delicious made with whole grain wheat flour and apples . Apple bread loaf.